Kuchma: It will take years for Crimea to be free again

Former Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma is taking a dim view of an economic blockade of Crimea to be imposed by Crimean Tatars.

KIEV (QHA) -

Speaking on the margins of the YES summit held in Kiev recently, Leonid Kuchma voiced his skepticism about an economic blockade of Crimea, LB.ua reports.

According to Kuchma, imposing a blockade will have ‘hardly any effect’ on Russia. “I think it will have hardly any effect on Russia, while Ukraine risks damaging its international reputation for making its former citizens’ lives harder. That said, we must stick to internationally accepted rules in our trade relations with Crimea and prevent goods from being smuggled in and out via some secret trails,” said Kuchma.

When asked whether Crimea would be free again, Leonid Kuchma said ‘it will take years for that to happen".

Interestingly, Kuchma mentioned ‘internationally accepted rules’ when referring to Ukraine-Crimea trade relations, though failed to specify what international rules Ukraine should abide by when engaging in trade relations with a territory formally considered its own.

As was reported earlier by the QHA, most pro-Ukrainian residents of Crimea are supportive of the idea of a total economic blockade aiming to show how heavily dependent the peninsula is on Ukraine for both food and electricity.